Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing system, and a method of controlling the image processing system.
Background Art
Systems that can define and control various processes for generating a printed product by using a data format such as job definition format (JDF) are known. This system can control various types of printers such as offset printers and digital printers collectively. This system can be referred to a hybrid work flow (HWF) system, and a server that controls the HWF system can be referred to a HWF server.
As to the HWF system, when the offset printer and the digital printer independently perform a printing operation based on the same print data, it is required to print the same image having no difference of font, color tone, layout or the like between an image printed by the offset printer and an image printed by the digital printer. Therefore, the same raster image processor (RIP) engine that generates raster data based on print data is disposed in each one of the offset printer and the digital printer. In this description, a term of the “same RIP engine” is used to indicate that one same type of RIP engine is disposed in each of different apparatuses. The raster data is data that is referred at a final stage when a printing operation is performed.
Typically, the RIP engine is disposed in the HWF server. When the offset printer performs a printing operation, the RIP engine in the HWF server generates raster data (hereinafter, “RIP processing”), and the raster data is transferred to a computer-to-plate (CTP) that generates a plate for the offset printer.
In this configuration of the HWF system, when the digital printer performs a printing operation, the RIP engine in the HWF server generates raster data, and transfers the raster data to the digital printer to execute the printing operation. Specifically, a digital front end (DFE) of the digital printer receives print data, and performs the RIP processing to execute the printing operation by using a printer engine.
When the digital printer performs the printing operation in the HWF system, the DFE receives data from the HWF server, and the DFE controls the printer engine of the digital printer to execute the printing operation. Therefore, as described above, the same RIP engine is disposed in the offset printer and also in the DFE.
Further, when the print output operation is executed at each of the plurality of printers, graphic data of fonts are embedded in print data so that printout results by the plurality of printers have no differences due to differences of font data installed to each of the plurality of different printers.
As above described, the same type of RIP engine is disposed in the offset printer and also in the DFE configuring the HWF system. Therefore, when the digital printer executes a print output operation, it is preferable to perform the distributed processing by using the HWF server and the DFE.
As to the distributed processing, a mark processing is performed at any one of the HWF server and the DFE to designate graphic information of marks, and to superimpose the designated marks on a target print image as an application of the marks to the target print image. The marks include, for example, text marks configured by various text information related to a plurality of processes at the HWF system such as a printed date and an operator name.
The text information configuring the text mark may become different depending on whether information is acquired by or through the HWF server or the DFE. For example, an operator of the HWF server that inputs job data to the HWF server, and an operator of the DFE that edits the job data transmitted from the HWF server may be typically different persons.
Therefore, information of the text mark may become different when the HWF server executes the mark processing and when the DFE server executes the mark processing, in which required information may not be included in the text mark in some cases. A technology to evade different printout results due to different font data is known, but this technology cannot evade difference of information of text mark. Further, some information can be acquired by or through only one of the HWF server and the DFE. Therefore, if the mark processing is executed at one device, required information acquirable only by other device cannot be included in the text mark.